The Frederick News-Post (http://bit.ly/1N7UIrs ) reports the attorneys said in a response filed Monday in U.S. District Court that the plaintiffs were trying to “smear” the defendants” reputations.

Voltaggio owns Volt in Frederick, as well as eight other restaurants in the region. Three former Volt line cooks sued in September, saying they were required to arrive early for shifts, but were not allowed to clock in until their scheduled time.

In their response, the defendants” attorneys say the workers were paid what they were owed.

Voltaggio rose to prominence as a finalist in the sixth season of the Bravo TV show “Top Chef” in 2009.